Compact Array Data Transmission for AMI Endpoint Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased communication traffic and protocol overhead in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and smart grid environments, particularly affecting battery-powered devices, lead to reduced battery lifespan and bandwidth inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing class objects and compact arrays to reduce data transmission overhead, allowing endpoints to transmit differential or incremental data instead of full meter reads, and using these objects to maintain standards compliance while minimizing network traffic and battery consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full meter reads are transmitted according to standard protocols, then standards compliance is maintained, but network traffic volume increases and battery lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission approach by introducing differential data transmission, where only changes in meter readings are transmitted rather than complete meter reads. This is achieved through the differential data flag and processing mechanisms that identify and transmit only the delta values, reducing overall network traffic while maintaining compliance with communication standards through proper data formatting and protocol adherence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the data transmission parameters by switching from full meter read mode to differential data mode based on the differential data flag. When the flag is set, the system transmits only the differential values instead of complete meter readings, thereby reducing the data volume parameter while maintaining standards compliance through controlled data formatting.
2Loss of information
If full meter reads are transmitted according to standard protocols, then data completeness is ensured, but network bandwidth efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission by implementing differential data transmission, where only the changes in meter readings are sent rather than complete data sets. This segmentation approach maintains data completeness for the purpose of tracking consumption changes while significantly improving network bandwidth efficiency by reducing the volume of transmitted data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential differential information from complete meter reads and transmits only that extracted data. By taking out and transmitting only the differential values rather than full meter readings, the system maintains the necessary data for accurate billing and monitoring while improving network bandwidth efficiency.
3Reliability
If protocol overhead is included in data transmission, then communication reliability is maintained, but data transmission volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission approach by implementing differential data transmission, where protocol overhead is applied only to the differential data rather than complete meter readings. This reduces the overall quantity of data transmitted while maintaining communication reliability through proper protocol adherence in the differential data formatting and transmission processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for limited data messaging with standards compliance are described herein. A network may be configured as an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for automatic meter reading (AMR). A plurality of endpoints (EP) may each be associated with a meter configured to measure consumption of a resource, such as electricity or natural gas. The plurality of EPs may communicate consumption data to a data collector (DC), which transfers the data to a central office. In one example, network traffic and battery power consumption of the EPs may be reduced if each endpoint packages data as a compact array, having minimal data formatting and tagging. A class object associated with each EP and stored at the DC allows the DC to interpret the compact array. Based on this interpretation, the DC is able to reformulate the data as a COSEM (or other standards-based object) for transmission to the central office.